The present invention relates to an automotive power train including an engine crankshaft and a flywheel.
Japanese Utility Model Application First (unexamined) Publication 62-100356 discloses an automotive power train (see FIGS. 1 and 2). According to this known power train, an annular resilient disc, serving as a torque transmitting member, has an inner peripheral portion connected to a crankshaft at an axial end thereof and an outer peripheral portion connected to a flywheel formed with a central axial bore. The flywheel is formed with a plurality of circumferentially equi-distant windows around the central axial bore. A plurality of elastic bodies made of rubber are fixedly received in the windows of the flywheel, respectively, and a plurality of bolts extend through the elastic bodies to fixedly secure the inner peripheral portion of the annular resilient disc to the axial end of the crankshaft. Owing to the resiliency of the elastic bodies, the bending vibrations of the annular resilient disc are reduced.
An object of the present invention is to improve such a known automotive power train by eliminating a potential problem that the elastic bodies made of rubber degrade at a quick rate when subject to heat transmitted thereto from the flywheel, resulting in deformation or breakage.